§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases in the last 12 months for which figures are available magistrates have been unable to issue community sentences as a result of not being in possession of pre-sentencing reports; and what sentencing options are not available where there is no pre-sentencing report. [158635]
§ Paul GogginsInformation is not collected centrally on the number of requests for pre-sentence reports made by magistrates which are not met. Non-production of reports does not prevent the court from issuing a community sentence or any other sentence. It is for 183W sentencers to decide if they wish to request a pre-sentence report, if the court is of the opinion that it is unnecessary to obtain a pre-sentence report it need not do so.